On September 23rd, Greta Thunberg gave a powerful, provoking speech to many world leaders and U.N. ambassadors. The purpose of this speech was to scare, no to scold all of mankind for turning their backs on the world. Many moons ago, countries together made a promise to clean up the carbon in the atmosphere and reverse global warming. But because of their empty words, entire ecosystems are collapsing, people are dying, and countries even have to go as far as changing their capital because it is flooding.

This speech was to raise awareness and finally start to do something impactful about climate change. Don’t get me wrong, all across the globe a countless amount of people have been doing their part in saving the planet, but imagine how much more efficient and effective our path to a clean planet would be if world leaders who have influence and money will join the cause.

This video is quite important to me, as it should be important to everyone because the Earth is ours to take care of and we are destroying it. We are the problem and the solution. So let’s not start a mass extinction, because humanity has a bright future ahead of us. So all in all, we need to realize that the Earth is our home and to keep our home we will be instituting change. If you cannot keep up, then get out of the way. Because right here, right now, we draw the line.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYxt0BeTrT8

Many people look at working out as a chore, unnecessary, or simply dangerous. But those are just excuses that people use to avoid going to the gym. There are numerous benefits to working out and starting at a young age will prove to be advantageous. This image depicts some students in high school bench pressing an impressive amount of weight. At first glance, people assume that its a dangerous exercise, that it’ll stunt his growth, he’ll tear something, etc. But you have to realize that most, if not all, common exercises have been created to stimulate your muscles and cause no pain whatsoever if done properly.

I heavily encourage that teens should try to get at least 3 sessions of 2-hour exercise a week, it doesn’t have to involve lifting weights, but any type of strength or cardiovascular training will do the trick. Some benefits of working out include improving your health and wellness,  boosting your immune system, improving your overall mood, and decreasing the risk of chronic diseases.

Working out is important to me because it is really crucial that you start developing good habits at a young age. Nearly 30% of all children under 20 are obese and that needs to change. I’m not saying being fat is bad, everyone should be comfortable in their own skin. But everyone should be provided with the resources to change if they please. So by working out or getting involved in physical activity, you’ll realize it is an amazing way to pave a reliable, fit path for your future self. All in all, working out severely benefits your body, your life, your mental and physical health, and so much more. So do yourself a favour and go hit the gym this weekend, trust me, you won’t regret it.

Source: https://www.stack.com/a/why-teens-should-workout

“Until we manage our time, we can manage nothing else” – Peter F. Drucker 

As a student of high school, not to mention a student in the IB program, it is extremely essential that I prioritize my time and have a firm, strict schedule. I have the advantage of coming from a high school, Alpha Secondary School in SD41, which lead to me developing and utilizing my time management skills. High school consists of a tough battle between academics, extracurriculars, social life, and leisure, but this battle can be won by all students if they conquer their procrastination. Some benefits of time management include less time spent on chores/homework, provides more free time, lowers your stress, and helps you focus so you always produce your best work.

Time management is important to me because many students coming into high school have trouble balancing their activities and prioritizing their tasks. They join too many clubs, they get flustered by the amount of work/homework, and they constantly stress over every little endeavour given to them. High school shouldn’t be revolved around stress and worry, it should be revolved around the amazing experience you will have over the next 4 years. And if you develop and hone your understanding of the importance of time management, it will prove to be worthwhile. Even though this isn’t an overnight change, it can be developed by the end of the 1st semester and will flourish to be an excellent asset in high school that will benefit you greatly, providing an exciting, stress-free secondary school experience.

Source: https://allauthor.com/quotes/75878/